UPDATED: Xanterra reopening in Yellowstone after ‘mass shooting’ threat, death

Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

The person who died after being shot by law enforcement rangers in Yellowstone National Park on the Fourth of July had been shooting a semi-automatic rifle toward a dining facility at Canyon Village, the park said Tuesday in a news release.

The deceased shooter was Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner, 28, of Florida, according to a news release from the park citing the Park County, Wyoming, coroner.

Fussner, who worked for a private company that operates in the park, died at the scene after being shot by officers who had responded to a 911 call of a possible mass shooting.

Officers tracked down Fussner at the Canyon Lodge occupied by roughly 200 people at the time, the park said. It said more than 20 rangers were on the job.

“Fussner reportedly walked toward the service entrance of the facility while firing a semi-automatic rifle,” the park said.

Several officers engaged Fussner, and during an exchange of gunfire, Fussner was shot by law enforcement rangers, the park said.

A law enforcement ranger who was “shot in a lower extremity” and injured has since been released from the hospital, the park said.

No other physical injuries were reported, according to Yellowstone.

Fussner was an employee of Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a private business that operates in the park.

“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred at Yellowstone National Park on July 4 involving a Xanterra employee,” Xanterra said in a statement. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to those who were impacted by this incident.”

Xanterra said it is “working diligently” to bring all facilities back to regular operations in the Canyon Lodge area. It is providing counseling and support to its employees in Yellowstone and cooperating with the FBI and National Park Service investigation.

“The safety and well-being of our employees, guests and the wider community are our top priorities, and we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for everyone,” Xanterra said.

The company said a limited number of rooms and most visitor services opened at Canyon Lodge on Tuesday and remaining lodges will open Wednesday, July 10. Regular service is expected to resume for food service on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.

In its news release Tuesday, Yellowstone outlined the series of events as follows:

Just after midnight on July 4, Yellowstone’s 911 dispatch center received a report that a woman had been held against her will by a man with a gun in a residence at Canyon Village. She also reported to law enforcement rangers that Fussner threatened to kill her and others, including plans to allegedly carry out a mass shooting(s) at July 4th events outside the park.

Responding law enforcement rangers located his vehicle unoccupied in the Canyon area, in the central part of the park. The preliminary investigation indicated Fussner was likely armed and dangerous.

With the individual at large, law enforcement rangers were deployed to protect areas with park visitors and employees while searching for Fussner, and the park’s 911 dispatch center notified surrounding jurisdictions.

By the early hours of July 4, more than 20 National Park Service law enforcement rangers, including the park’s special response team, were working to protect people and locate Fussner.

At approximately 8 a.m., law enforcement rangers posted near Canyon Lodge, which houses employee and public dining rooms, encountered Fussner.

Fussner reportedly walked toward the facility occupied by approximately 200 people while firing a semi-automatic rifle. During an exchange of gunfire, Fussner was shot by law enforcement rangers.

The park did not respond to an emailed question about the number of times Fussner was shot: “The incident is still under investigation, and we have no additional information to share at this time.”

Additional rangers with emergency medical training rendered aid to the injured law enforcement ranger and Fussner. Fussner died at the scene, the park said.

The FBI, with support from the National Park Service, Xanterra and other partners, is providing victim and witness support to anyone who was involved in the incident.

National Park Service policy for a law enforcement involved shooting calls for involved law enforcement rangers to be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation of an incident.

In the email late Tuesday in response to questions from the Daily Montanan, the park did not address the number of rangers who would be on leave and whether the park would need to bring in other support temporarily as a result.

Consistent with Department of the Interior and NPS policies, the NPS will release available body worn camera footage of the incident within 30 days, the park said in the news release.

“Thanks to the heroic actions of our law enforcement rangers, many lives were saved here last Thursday,” said Superintendent Cam Sholly in a statement from Yellowstone.

“These rangers immediately confronted this shooter and took decisive action to ensure he was no longer a threat to public safety. We are working now to provide maximum support to those involved and their families. We appreciate the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and many other partners as we continue to manage through the aftermath of this incident.”

The investigation into this incident, including the actions of the National Park Service (NPS) law enforcement rangers, is being led by the FBI and will be reviewed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, according to the news release.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comment from Xanterra Parks and Resort Inc.

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